A/N: You guys thought I forgot about this story didn't you. Hehe. Well enjoy.
Rogue lifted her head, staring at the hospital.
Mid-afternoon sun clashed harshly with the imposing granite building looming over her.
Taking a deep breath she bent her head, eyes to the ground as she pushed the door open.
The lady at the front desk looked up with a pearly white smile plastered on her overly tanned face.
'Welcome to CURA, how can I help you?' she said in a high-pitched voice.
Rogue's eyes snapped to and fro, taking in the waiting room to the right, and the frosted glass door to the left.
The woman's smile broke apart, 'Miss?'
Rogue focused on her again, 'I heard there was a magic bullet.' She said quietly.
The woman's eyes widened, before her shaky hand reached for the phone. 'Let me get the doctor for you. Please take a seat.'
Rogue gave an uneasy smile before following the acrylic nail to a seat as far away from everyone as possible.
Rubbing her hands nervously, she looked around to see four other people there. All of them looking at her curiously. Rogue looked at the secretary again, only to see her sending Rogue fleeting looks while covering her mouth as she talked on the phone.
Uneasiness grew in the pit of her stomach. The professor didn't know about this, Logan…Bobby…Kitty…no one.
Rogue's eyes were drawn to a little kid playing with toys on the seat across from her. Such a small boy, and he was in a doctor's office.
She remembered right after kissing Cody, she had come to the hospital with her parents. Both of them sat on either side of her, trying to block her from the ugly world, or was it blocking the world from the ugly girl.
'Miss?'
The look of disappointment, traitor they would call her, weak is what she calls herself.
'Miss?'
Startled, Rogue jerked away from the hand on her shoulder, looking up to see the receptionist looking down on her with concern eyes.
'The doctor will see you now'
Rogue glanced at the boy again, only to see him gone, before she stood on shaky legs and followed the woman through the door and down the hall.
The receptionist led her to a hospital room like any other, telling her to strip down and wear the gown, before she shut the door.
Rogue's legs swung forward and back as she stared at the hands in her lap. The white gown glaring at her.
The door creaked open, and Rogue looked up to see a kind looking man walk in, 'Hello, I'm Dr. Essex.'
Emma suddenly stopped, Storm looking at her quizzically.
Emma's eyes searched the sky for a moment, 'She's got Scott!'
Phoenix looked down at Scott, 'Scott' she whispered softly.
'Jean?' he stared at her, his eyes wide behind his ruby red glasses.
'My darling Scott.' She said sweetly as she gently brushed his cheek. Her eyes slowly turned from black to the brown she knew he loved.
Feeling his heart thundering, she could taste his fear on the tip of her tongue, she leaned closer, whispering, 'Don't be afraid, it's really me'
Scott looked up at Jean for a moment, his heart never wishing it to be more so, but his head slowly shook, jerking back slightly 'No…it's not. You're dead.'
Jean leaned in closer, 'Of course it's me Scott, look at me, hear my voice.' Her cold fingers played across his forehead, 'you were so adorable, taking your sweet time asking me out. And you were willing to be my friend, even when I said no. But you were there, through everything with me Scott, you helped me then, why won't you help me now?'
Jean pleaded with him, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Scott suddenly grabbed her wrists, 'because you're not Jean. You're a mere shell of the woman I loved. And for Jean's sake, I will see you destroyed.' His voice hoarse.
Jean jerked back, her eyes swarming with a black cloud, veins slowly turning grayish-blue, and her skin turning porcelain. Slowly standing up, she looked down at him, her mouth twisted in a sneer.
Flames followed her hands as they went up and over her head, enclosing her in the shape of a giant bird. Her hand shot out and gripped Scott's neck, lifting him slowly.
'What do you know about death?' she said harshly, her hand squeezing a little tighter, 'I lay at the bottom of a lake for five years; I heard all of you, all of the pain, and the misery. Why do you insist on living? You are weak, just like them.'
The flames shot higher, her hair flying behind her; she forced Scott down on his knees,
'You were supposed to show me what love is, this thing Jean holds so dear to her heart. You were supposed to make me understand, but your love is flawed. I am what is and what was, and I will erase this world of its flaws….'She said as her grip on his throat tightened. Flames slowly curled around him, burning his costume.
'Mhhhhhmmmmm' He gritted his teeth, trying not to scream from the pain.
Rogue coughed as she slowly woke up.
Moaning slightly, her eyes suddenly widened as she found herself lying on the cold wet grass. Coughing again, she turned over onto her stomach, taking another deep breath.
Oh my god, oh my god. Panic set in as she clawed at the ground once more before scrambling to her feet.
Pyro?
Gambit?
Rogue cursed herself, her eyes searching the grounds and finding nothing. It was a set-up…for her. And they ran back to Magneto's camp to deliver the good news.
Wincing as pain pierced her forehead; she touched her right temple and brought her hand down. Her breath caught in her chest at the red slippery blood on her fingers.
Slowly raising her head, her eyes widened.
There stood Jean, her red hair flying around her as she held Scott by his throat.
She has Scott. was all Rogue could think of, but before she could take a step forward a hand halted her.
Rogue looked up in surprise to see Emma standing next to her and the rest arriving. 'Don't' Emma said quietly. Rogue threw her a questioning glance but stayed quiet, taking a step back.
The X-men lined up behind her and Emma, 'what do you think?' Kitty asked. Rogue glanced at Emma out of the corner of her eye.
Emma's eyes narrowed, 'I think Xavier's dream is dead, Magneto is a fool, and that bitch…is mine.'
Suddenly Scott let out a muffled scream, 'MMhhhhhhhhmmmm' and Rogue pushed Emma's arm away.
'JEAN. STOP IT' Rogue yelled, running towards them.
She came to an abrupt stop, gasping as Jean whipped her head up. Jean's black eyes focused on her, her porcelain skin shimmering with black veins.
'HE IS MINE'
Rogue felt the jerk at her navel, before suddenly flying back into the windshield of a car.
the X-men stared in horror at the horrible crunching sound as she hit the windshield. Her body completely still.
Emma whipped her head around with a determined look. 'Alright, that's it darling, playtime is over.'
Without turning back, she snapped out orders to the rest of the team. 'Iceman, check on Rogue. Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, check for anyone in trouble in the vicinity and get them out of here. Collosus, you might as well stay…It's going to get very interesting.' Her eyes frosting over.
All of them nodded, disappearing quickly in the smoke.
Emma watched as metal and glass around Jean started floating up.
Emma walked toward the inferno determined to end this.
'Let it not be said that you know how to pick your men. First Scott, then Logan, and then Scott again. Really, one would think you have a bipolar disorder.' Emma said as she slowly walked closer, each word emphasized by the tap of her boots until she stopped a few feet from the two of them.
Pheonix lifted her head, and looked over her shoulder at Emma, 'YOU?'
'That's right sweetheart, me!' Emma said gleefully.
Phoenix looked confused, 'but?' she turned and looked down at Scott who knelt there struggling to breath, his fingers clawing at his throat.
'Strange isn't it' Emma observed, 'you can tell his emotions right now, and that jump in his heart, wasn't for you'
Kitty, mind helping out Scott.
I'm a little busy
I'm sorry, did that not seem like an order, how about this, Get your little ass over here and help Scott.
…Coming.
Phoenix drew back from Scott, staring at him with confusion, before turning to Emma, 'for you?'
'Be a good girl and let him go.'
'I can destroy him' Phoenix said with anger, her face turned into a mask of hate.
But Emma stood her ground, watching her carefully
Phoenix had hesitated.
Emma's eyes widened, 'You can' she said astonished. 'But you won't.'
At Phoenix's look of confusion, Emma took step closer, hands on her hip, 'because Jean is stopping you, reminding you…because a small part of you remembers Jean's love for Scott. She remembers all the moments that were their epic relationship.''
Phoenix's mouth curled in anger, 'JEAN IS DEAD'
And with a force unrivaled by any, she let go of Scott, tossing him to the ground before stepping towards Emma. 'And you will be next'
A giant fiery bird surrounded Jean, before she sent objects flying around her.
Gasping in pain, Rogue sat straight up, before rolling off the windshield, glass falling around her. Heart pounding, she found someone grabbing her waist and pulling her away just in time as another car crashed into the one she was on mere seconds ago.
She was dragged several feet away behind some cars before she was let go of.
Kneeling on the ground, she coughed for several minutes, before being able to take a deep breath of air. The back of her hand pressed against her mouth, she choked out a 'thank you' not looking up as another wave of coughs wracked her body.
Looking up finally, she suddenly stilled.
Grinning down at her was Gambit, his red eyes glowing brightly in the dense smoke, while his trench coat swayed.
Jerking away from him, she frowned up at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.
'why are you-' she started.
He shrugged, 'de pay wasn't all that great'
And with that interesting message, he disappeared as Iceman came running up to her. 'Jesus, you have nine lives. Are you okay?'
Rogue frowned for a second into the smoke before turning to Iceman and nodding. Noticing him staring at her arm, she looked down at herself. Her eyes widened in surprise
Iceman looked down at her arm, slightly ill at the long jagged piece of glass in her arm. 'Aw man, Logan is going to kill you.'
Rogue stared at it curiously, before looking up at him, 'I-I can't feel it'
Emma held her hands out, blocking the debris aimed at her with a telepathic shield, but Phoenix was so much stronger, and soon the shield started eroding, the debris slowly gaining speed until it clawed at her cheek, slicing it open.
Her shield went down abruptly, and Colossus barely got in front of her in time to block several pieces of sharp metal and glass.
Jean raised her hands, fire bursting all around her, creating a ring of fire around all of them.
'I AM WHAT IS AND WHAT WILL BE. I DESTROY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD, WHAT IS FLAWED.'
Kitty phased through the ground, grabbed Scott's hand and phased him through the ground again.
Out of nowhere Wolverine leapt over the fire, claws out, but Jean merely blasted him away, leaving him a smoking corpse several feet away from Emma.
Emma stared at the vortex Jean was creating; how is he Kitty?
Still alive
Emma, Scott's voice rang through her head.
I'm a little busy at the moment sweetheart, Emma gritted her teeth as she didn't notice a jagged piece of metal before it was too late. Her telepathy unable to deflect it in time.
Taking a deep breath, she waited for the pain.
But her eyes widened as the piece of metal stilled, just floating in front of her for a second before it crashed to the ground.
'I believe you have something I want.' A voice rang out behind her.
Startled, Emma turned around, to find what she least wanted.
Magneto stood regal, cape over his hand as his bright blue eyes twinkled even through the smoke.
'Magneto' Wolverine growled with the disgust as he climbed to his feet, his back smoking.
'What the hell do you want Magneto?' Iceman shouted as Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Rogue and he came to stand between Magneto and Jean as well.
'Not you of course' Magneto said with a smirk before turning to Rogue. 'You made a promise my dear; you give me whatever I want. I want your beloved Jean Grey.'
Gambit, Sabretooth, Pyro and several other mutants came to stand behind Magneto, grinning at the X-men who stared at them intensely. His cape over his arm, Magneto took a step closer, causing the X-men to stiffen in wariness, 'Jean Grey, how extraordinary. She rises from Alkali Lake like the phoenix she calls herself. Secrets never seem to die there do they?' Magneto said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
Looking down for a moment, Rogue lifted her head, staring at him through her hair, 'You don't know what your doing Magneto.'
Magneto's eyes widened in surprise, before he stilled his features, 'my dear, did you really think I was about to let you X-men get your hands on what could possibly be our salvation.'
'She will be our destruction before she becomes our salvation' Rogue warned.
'I know that Jean Grey has powers beyond our imagination. Think of the possibilities, think of what she could do for people like us.' Magneto tried persuasively.
'Us, you mean murderers like you' Kitty sneered at him, Iceman turned to stare at Kitty, before moving his body to block her a bit from Magneto.
Magneto sighed, 'She will destroy what is a farce in this world, and allow us to be what we were always intended to be. My dear, I lived through one camp, I will never let another imprison me!' He said with such anger.
Storm descended slowly, her eyes turning from white to blue, 'Magneto, I would not suggest this. Let us take care of her.'
Emma snarled, 'Do you really think we'd give her to you so easily.'
Magneto nodded at her, 'My dear, you're merely delaying the inevitable. I'm putting Mutants at the top of the evolutionary tree, where we belong. And standing next to me will be Xavier's own prodigy, the Jean Grey.'
SNKT! 'How about I trim a few branches off that tree.' Wolverine growled at Magneto as he stepped up next to Rogue.
Iceman opened his mouth about to yell 'yeah', before turning to Wolverine, 'Okay that is officially the lamest threat-'
Storm held her hands out, 'Enough! We are warning you Magneto, do not get in our way.' thunder rolled in the distance.
Magneto assessed the X-men, bloody and bruised, 'I think you are over your heads here.'
Suddenly holding his hands out, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated.
Around them metal started to shake and crumble, the gravel around some of the poles broke apart, as the poles lifted in the air.
Turning his head to the X-men, he sent the poles flying through the air.
Wolverine was able to claw through three of them, while Kitty phased through another, Nightcrawler Bamfed!, and Collosus just let them hit his metallic chest, shrugging as they fell in a crumpled heap at his feet.
Rogue shoved Iceman out of the way as they flew between the two of them.
Despite the X-men's best efforts several were able to get through, and all of them watched in fascinated horror as Phoenix stared at the poles.
With a blink of her eye they disintegrated within centimeters of her face.
'WHO ARE YOU?' Phoenix asked Magneto, her black eyes piercing him on the spot.'One of you my dear. One of you.' he whispered, his eyes widening as she moved closer.
'YOU'RE NOTHING LIKE ME.' Phoenix said as she stepped forward, each street lamp above her bursting in succession as she neared him.
Her red hair flying behind her as buildings were torn away, broken into little pieces that swirled around her.
Phoenix flung her hands up and over her head, bursting into the Phoenix. Soon everything started shaking around them, broken pieces of glass, metal scraps of what was once a downtown street started twirling around her, creating a vortex.
And with a flick of her wrist, she sent them shooting straight at the X-men.
Magneto looked up at the awesome power of the Phoenix and with a heavy heart he signaled his men. His men descended upon the X-men with the intention of taking Jeaj Grey.
The X-men were torn, fighting Magneto and his men or Jean, whom they couldn't turn their backs on. But the thousands of mutants surrounding them forced their hand.
Rogue spotted Gambit's pole several feet away and made a dive for it, but as her fingers wrapped around the pole, a boot stepped hard on her wrist and held it down.
Looking up, she gasped, Gambit stood there, bleeding from the corner of his eye. 'I don' think so'
'Stop this, she has to be destroyed' Rogue said, wildly confused, she tugged at her hand.
But Gambit simply pressed harder on her hand, smiling at her cry of pain. Bending over slightly, he murmured to her, 'I knew you would try to break our deal.'
And with a low laugh, slowly Gambit's hair retreated, his clothes shifting, changing until it closed on her spine. His boot on her hand slowly turned dark blue.
Rogue's lip curled in anger as Mystique stood over her.
With a kick to her chin, Mystique knocked Rogue on her back. Grabbing the pole, Mystique smiled, before swinging the pole at Rogue.
But Rogue rolled away, feeling the spray of gravel on her cheek.
Rogue scrambled to feet and ducked as Mystique took a swing. 'She will kill all of us.'
'That's our intention' Mystique smirked as she twirled the pole around.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Mystique's wrist, twisting it until Mystique cried out in pain, thus forcing her to drop the pole.
'Nobody touches my t'ings.' He said before swinging her around until she hit the ground, but as quickly as lightening she was on her feet again giving him a roundhouse kick that sent him stumbling back. But as she gave him another kick, he threw a glowing card that exploded in her face, knocking her to the ground.
Gambit's eyes blazed in the rain as he picked up his pole, watching if she was still conscious, only after several tense minutes did he relax.
'I always wanted to do that' Gambit grinned, leaning over with his hand out.
Rogue stared up at him bewildered, 'Whose side are you on?' she asked in shock as she grabbed his hand and let him haul her to her feet.
Another Boom! Had them bending their heads, but as Rogue lifted her head to look over her shoulder, he was gone again.
Her mind couldn't linger too long on the man as two mutants came upon her.Emma lifted her head, trying to catch a breath, they were losing horribly. Half of them were hurt and Magneto's men weren't even breaking a sweat.
All of them knelt behind a pile of metal of what may have been cars at one point.
'We have nothing left.' Storm said softly as she patched up a wound on Nightcrawler's leg.
Glancing at Nightcrawler and Scott, Emma knew they were thinking the same thing. Their foremost goal is to stop Jean, Magneto and his men are secondary.
Wolverine merely growled as his wounds rapidly healed. He fished around for that cigar he always had on him.
Kitty and Iceman leaned on each other heavily, both trying not to wince at some of their bruises.
Rogue was silent, her elbows on her kneecaps, she stared at her hands. her hair obscuring her from the others. What they needed was Jean. What they needed was the Phoenix.
Rogue abruptly turned and grabbed Cyclops by his uniform, 'If you can distract Magneto and his men, I can stop Jean.'
'You have a plan?' Scott questioned.
'Is it a good plan?' Iceman piped in, nervous at that intense look on Rogue's face.
'trust me!' Rogue said giving Scott a look before turning away from him.
'Emma' Emma whipped her head around to find Rogue kneeling beside her, blood dripping from the cut over her eye, while her clothes were torn, and her skin scraped and bruised.
'We're getting our asses kicked out there.'
'Thank you for that' Emma responded coldly, slightly frustrated and annoyed at the obvious.
But Rogue ignored that, 'it's our last shot' she said, keeping her eye on Emma, even as the others circled around them.
Wolverine's brows furrowed as he tried to discern what that meant.
Emma looked around at the others, before turning to Rogue, 'I never thought you would choose to be the sacrificial lamb, I see you as more of a cut and run kind of girl.' She replied glancing at Wolverine out of the corner of her eye.
Rogue leaned in closer, 'we have no other choice.'
'NO' Kitty interrupted, 'you're going to trust Emma, who's been keeping secrets from us this whole time. About Jean, about Rogue's powers.' She cried out stepping up behind Emma. 'We can't trust her Rogue'
Rogue grabbed Kitty's arm, trying to make her understand, but Kitty sent her a furious look before stepping up to Cyclops. 'Don't do it Cyclops.'
Emma sneered at Kitty, 'sheath the claws; if you have another suggestion, I'm dying to hear it'
Kitty looked at Cyclops, pleading with him. But Cyclops turned to Logan, who was strangely quite.
Logan shrugged, avoiding Rogue's eyes, 'She smells alright'
'That's just the Chanel' Kitty threw her hands in the air.
Emma smiled down at her, 'it's dior darling'
Cyclops sighed looking around.
Silently each one of them nodded their heads in agreement save Kitty and Storm, 'We have no other choice.' He tried to explain to her. Nodding to Emma and Rogue, 'do it.'
Kitty threw her hands up in the air, 'we have too many men on this team'
Cyclops turned to Rogue, 'good luck' before walking several feet away.
Kitty stared at Rogue, before phasing through the metal.
'Rogue!' Iceman called out as he walked away backwards; 'I expect a thank-you note for this!' he turned to face the fire, before icing himself up. Taking a deep breath he plunged himself into the fight.
Both Nightcrawler and Collosus, squeezed her arm before they too jumped into the inferno.
Storm hugged her, 'peace be with you child.' Her eyes turning white, she lifted herself into the air.
All that was left was Logan, Rogue, and Emma.
Rogue stood still, wondering what Logan would do, but nothing prepared her for him offering her his cigar. 'World's about to end kid, you just going to stand there.' he said, before he unsheathed his claws and leapt into the fight as well.
It took one full second before Rogue fell to one knee, the gravity of what she was about to do finally hitting her. Breathing slowly she saw the shadow crossing the ground.
Emma knelt in front of Rogue, 'are you sure?' she quietly asked Rogue.
'Do it Emma' Rogue breathed.
Emma hesitated for a moment, but Rogue shook her head, 'of all the times Emma, this would not be the time to hesitate.'
Emma and Rogue faced each other, both kneeling on one leg, Rogue clutching her kneecap, while trying to stay steady with the other hand on the ground.
Emma bit her lip for a moment, and surprised Rogue by saying 'God I hope this works.'
Rogue couldn't help but smile, 'me too', both realizing that maybe they did have a friendship somewhere underneath all of this.
Placing her cold hands on Rogue's temples, Emma closed her eyes, delving into the abyss of Rogue's mind.
As Emma sifted through all the powers, jump starting each and every one of them, Rogue cringed in pain, grabbing onto Emma's wrists painfully as it felt like a drill through her forehead.
Throwing her head back, she screamed, 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh'Emma joined the rest of the X-men. Stepping up next to Storm, Emma turned to her, 'Do it.'
Storm looked at Emma, noting her tight lip, before nodding with understanding. She turned her face to the sky, her eyes white. Bringing her hands up, her feet lifted off the ground.
Gaining several feet, Storm let the wind blow her long white hair back, her cape swirling around her. The clouds darkened around her and gathered over them, plunging them into night.
She brought her hands together in a thunderous clap, sending a sheet of silver rain down on them.
The waters rose slowly around them, creating a dome of water all around them.
The Phoenix looked around her, growing furious at what she saw as her cage, she started throwing arcs of fire, trying to break the walls down. Inadvertently they landed too close to the X-men for comfort.
'Stop it Magneto' Scott yelled out to Magneto who stood just a few feet from Jean. 'She can't be controlled by you .'
Magneto turned to find Phoenix looking at him curiously, before a twisted smile graced her face.
Suddenly his eyes widened, his body felt like it was heating up from the inside out.
'NOOOO' he tried to lift metal objects, but nothing was happening.
Falling to his knees, he grasped at the edge of his helmet, quickly throwing it off, gasping for breath. 'Stop it Jean' he gasped on the ground. 'Xavier wouldn't have wanted this.' He said quietly,
But she couldn't hear him. Slowly the Phoenix let the fire spread out, turning herself into a fiery embodiment.
His gaze became blank, the blue twinkle dying, before he whispered, 'hello my old friend.'
But before she could complete what she intended, Phoenix lifted up her head.
Suddenly turning around, she found herself centimeters from Rogue. Her eyes widened in astonishment, 'YOU!'
Rogue slowly lifted her head; her glowing green eyes met Phoenix's red eyes, 'my turn.'
Suddenly Rogue punched Jean in the stomach, sending her flying through the air into a glass building.
The building bowed with the force before erupting into flames.
Jean dropped to the ground on her feet, the glass crunching under her red leather boots, before she straightened up.
In a flash of fire, she appeared right before Rogue, startling Rogue for a moment before Phoenix tossed Rogue down on the ground. Rogue slid several feet on her side, sending gravel spraying up.
Wincing, Rogue slowly pushed herself up, struggling to stand.
Feeling the hair on her neck rising, she moved away just in time to see shards of glass fly past her.
Turning around she smirked at the Phoenix's fury. With Magneto's powers in her, she twisted metal poles underneath the ground, sending them shooting up around Jean. Everywhere Jean turned, another pole rose, blocking her, caging her.
Turning back to Rogue, Jean threw her hair back, screaming at the once blue sky, 'YOU DARE CAGE A GODDESS.'
The molecules around her started moving rapidly, the heat sending the rain into a mist, and with a rippling in the air around her, she erupted into FLAMES, sending the cage flying away from her.
Collosus held up a piece of cement, blocking the majority of the mutants.
Scott barely blasted one out of the way, before he noticed one going straight at Storm.
'UGH!' Scott saw Storm tumbling out of the sky, her white hair flying behind her.
Gambit caught Storm, grinning down at her as she was set on her feet. 'Good day when femmes drop from the sky non?'
Rogue never noticed as she found Jean mere centimeters from her.
'YOU ARE NOTHING'
Rogue taunted her, 'then why are you holding back.'
Jean sneered at her, but Rogue continued, 'You are far more powerful then me, but the your getting weaker. Isn't that why you can't just destroy like you wish. You need us, you want to feed off of us. So I have something that even you can't imagine.
Jean jerked back, looking at her in confusion, Rogue continued, 'I can take anyone's power. I can make it part of me. Take my body, and you can feed it all you want, isn't that why you went after Scott, his optic blasts could have fed you for sometime. Take me and I can feed you for eternity.'
The X-men watched in astonishment, Kitty turning to Emma, 'did she…did she just offer herself.'
Emma grimaced, 'I believe so.'
Wolverine yelled out, 'NO!'
But it was too late, Jean suddenly lifted her hands, flames shooting out into wings around her, 'SO BE IT' she turned into a fiery bird.
And with a high pitched shriek, the flames enveloped Rogue.
Rogue crossed her arms over her head as the phoenix, as Jean surrounded her soul. Her hair whipping around her, she cried out in pain falling to her knees. Jean was at the center of the flame, enveloping her, becoming her. Rogue's eyes turned green, the flames around both of them slowly turned green as well.
Jean's eyes turned soft brown, widening in knowledge that Rogue was taking her over.
Rogue drew away from Jean for a moment, the flames that were the phoenix died down around Rogue.
Jean collapsed to the ground several feet away, as Rogue slowly stood up. Now dressed in green pants, boots, and a tight top, a green sash tied around her bare arm. Her red hair flew around her as she slowly turned.
The X-men watched wide-eyed as Rogue slowly smiled, looking down at her hands for a moment before noticing the rest of her body.
'Rogue?' Wolverine's eyes narrowed, trying to sniff her out.
Rogue looked up at them, 'I am no Rogue' she had said in a different voice, slowly smiling at this new body of hers, with its endless supply of energy.
But as quickly as she melded with this body, she threw her head back and shrieked.
Clutching her head in pain, she fell to her knees. 'What are they doing to me?'
Emma stepped forward, leaning in, 'Didn't we mention, Rogue's mind is inhabited by a dozen others. And each one is very angry with you.'
'NOOOOOOOOOO' Rogue knelt on the ground, the gravel under her cracking in a spidery web, one of the cracks stopping mere inches from where Emma stood.
On her knees, her fingers clutching her hair, she screamed in pain.
Wolverine watched as things around her started rising in the air, moving around, until they gained momentum.
'C'mon Rogue' Iceman muttered, his hands clutching into fists, frustrated at not knowing what to do.
CRASH!
Everything around her fell with a resounding crash.
BOOM! A telepathic wave emanating from her spread across the streets, Buildings collapsed, the gravel shook, poles bending and waving before falling over and the mutants all were knocked out.
Soon the flames died down, And Rogue lay on the wet gravel unmoving.Scott was the first to stand up shakily. Looking for the two of them, spying one, he ran to Jean and knelt next to her body, 'Jean…Jean…?'
But there was nothing, eyes closed and a small smile graced her face. Scott clutched her tightly, shaking one last time, before bending his head, pressing his mouth to her hair as he cried once more at what could have been.
The X-men slowly got up, moaning as they scrambled to their feet. Lifting their heads slowly, they took in the destruction of what was once a street. Now…nothing.
Kitty helped up Collosus, punching him in the arm with a grin before shaking her hand in pain while scowling up at him. Noticing Iceman's hand under some rubble, both Collosus and she ran to him. Kitty phased through to help him out, while Collosus tried to move some of the rubble.
Storm groaned as she sat up, pressing a hand to her head, 'Goddess' she whispered. Looking up, she saw Nightcrawler holding his hand out to her.
Smiling up at him, she grabbed it and together they went searching for others.
Wolverine stood among all of them, looking up at the clear blue sky above them.
Turning, his hazel eyes searched intensely for someone, before suddenly calling out, 'Where's Rogue?'
All of the X-men stopped as they realized Rogue wasn't standing among them.
Hearing a moaning in the distance, Wolverine turned to see Rogue slowly picking herself up. In relief he actually smiled, catching her eye, 'Good job Kid' he whispered to himself, before his eyes narrowed at the shadow moving behind Rogue.
Rogue saw Logan's eyes widened, and she frowned.
'What-' Rogue started before pain pierced her chest. Leaning forward on her knees, she cried out in pain.
Wolverine cried out, 'NO!'
Mystique had pierced Rogue with a broken metal pole through her upper right chest.
'Like a stuck pig' Mystique said with glee as she pulled it out. Rogue steadying herself with her right hand on the ground, she pressed her other hand to her shoulder and drew it away. Red sticky blood started washing away in the rain.
Rogue paled, her teeth clenched in pain.
Wolverine ran forward, the first one to reach her. Falling to his knees next to her, he grabbed her shoulders enclosing her as she fell into his arms.
He touched her on the forehead, waiting for the familiar pull.
But nothing was happening, not this time.
She lay limply in his arms. Her lips turned blue, her eyes closed, and her breath grew shallow.
'C'mon kid, stay awake, you're going to be fine.' He tried to reassure her.
But she lay still.Rogue stared down at the syringe, her fingertips slowly grazing the glass vial next to it.
It was a cure.
A cure
She couldn't say it enough; she couldn't wrap her head around such a possibility. And a small part of her of thought that it was a joke. That someone would soon come to tell her it doesn't work anymore.
So preoccupied with what was in her hand, she didn't hear the door opening.
'What the hell are you doing kid?'
Rogue's head jerked up in surprise, and with reflexes borne of hours in the Danger room, she threw the cloth over the syringe and placed it in the open drawer before turning around to see Logan towering over her.
'What are you hiding?' he said, not really asking for an answer, but demanding it.
Rogue stuttered for a moment, desperately wishing she hadn't taken it out like this.
'N-nothing' she barely said.
But Logan knew Rogue well, and reached around her to pull something out of the drawer.
Opening the cloth, his eyes widened, as anger leapt in his eyes, 'what is this?'
'I told you…it's nothing' Rogue said, 'please, give it back to me.'
Sniffing it, Logan shook his head, 'is this a drug?'
'NO' Rogue said too quickly for him.
But Logan didn't care.
'Does the professor know about this?'
He demanded, keeping the syringe out of her reach.
'Please' she whispered, looking up at him with wide-eyes. 'You can't tell him. It's all I have.'
A/N: Go ahead...say it...whoa! okay I wasn't sure about the twist on the cure thing here, but I kind of like it. It sets up another completely new story if I choose to continue this, but its not so clunky in the overall arch of the story which is supposed to be about Jean Grey and Rogue. Boy did I struggle with this chapter, i erased this one maybe five times and started over, because it wasn't working. But even though I could definitely clean it up way more, i thought it was getting way too long, and I just didn't have the energy or want. One more chapter to go. Yay! I know someone mentioned Rogue's red hair, and your right, I couldn't make up my mind. I did see her as more of a redhead, because...well...the comics for the last fifty years showed her as a redhead, and well that's what I always have in my mind. Then again, the rogue in my head is so far from the movie Rogue, that I watch the movies, and cannot think of her as Rogue...ever. She's marie...but not a rogue.Sigh, sorry I'm still disappointed in how they portrayed her, and I don't think I'll ever be able to come to grips with it. But that's what fanfiction is for right? anway any other comments, questions greivences, let me know before the last chapter.
P.S I know people have their favorite couples, and I'm cool with almost any pairing. Surprisingly enough I am. But then again it depends on which version. I never had Pyro and Rogue in my mind when I wrote this. Trust me, I had Rogue and Gambit, Rogue and Scott, Rogue and Logan, even Rogue and my version of Bobby, but never Pyro. Strange, it didn't even cross my mind. I can see where it came from though, but I hated the way Rogue acted at the beginning of the second movie with Bobby and Pyro. It made me throw my hands up in the air and yell at her, stop acting like a simpering giggling girl and say something snarky. (blushing) if Rogue was way cooler, then I could see the two of them flirt but not really get together sort of thing. Just give them some really fun/snarky dialogue is what I would have imagined. You know, if ever I write about Pyro and Rogue scenes again i think I'll do that, or if i rewrite this story.
Oh and I realize I dropped Pyro rather quickly, and frankly all of Magneto's men, but to really write a truly good action scene, this would have taken three times the writing, and again i couldn't do it. But I hope you enjoyed the small little movie that goes on in my head. And I hope you guys liked the elements I brought in. A lot of it was heavily based on Pheonix-Endsong, a very cool comic book, well worth reading, and what I had wished the movie really was like. Kitty's dialogue about the chanel and dior is straight from that book.
Okay...did I cover everything? well really let me know what you think, and even what you hope for, wished had happened, what i could do better in the future. I probably will never stop truly writing this genre, just because I have so many ideas, but i might take a break just for two or three months to regroup before starting on other stories. This multi-chapter take a lot of work. Phew.